Sunday, December 11, 2016

What happened to fall??? 

Well, it's December and it's been a very fun and productive time since going to Quilt Market in Houston.  Thanksgiving was great
and I hope that you all had a warm and gracious holiday. 

Speaking of holidays:  Hanukkah = Christmas this year, date-wise, of course.  Both will have celebrations beginning the evening of December 24th!  And...BONUS...Hanukkah will span into New Years as well!

As we prepare for some holiday gift giving, my friend Peta Minerof-Bartos (Peta Quilts - The Not Sew Guilty Sewer) is curating the sewmamasew.com "Handmade Holidays" collection featuring creative gift ideas for Hanukkah giving!!  Along with other wonderful crafters,  Peta asked me to join in and share a favorite new pattern for this season and every season of celebration!

Light Up and Celebrate is my new pattern and has been a hit in the Phoenix area - in the classroom and in home studios around the valley of the sun!

Take some time and have fun with this really fast and easy pattern.  Make it once and see how smoothly it goes, then make a few more and tweak it to make it your own.  (See the two pictures below!)   Follow the rules once, then improvise!  #lightupandcelebratequilt

Happy Hanukkah!!!
                                   *********************************      
Light Up and Celebrate!
An Original Design Pattern By Bonnie Bobman

For One (1) Mini quilt of varying size:

HANUKKAH version

Fabric:

            Candle Fabric:                       Fat Quarter or Scraps equal to at least a fat quarter

Flame:                                     1/8 yd or Scraps to make one 2” x 2” flame for each candle

Background Fabric:               1/2 yard Complementary fabric or solid

Binding:                                  ¼ yard fabric of your choice


Batting:                                              26” x 20”

Backing:                                             26” x 20”

Please read the directions before cutting.       

All Seams ¼”                          WOF = Width of Fabric 44/45 Standard Quilting Fabric

Cutting:

Candle Fabric:                      Cut  1 strip:   2” wide x  10”  long
                                                Cut  8 strips: 2” wide x 6” long

Background Fabric:            Cut  3 strips of 2” wide width of fabric  (44/45). 
                                    Sub cut these 2” background strip into one 3” length and                                 one  2” length for each candle :
                                                9 – 3” x 2” pieces
                                                9 – 2” x 2” pieces
                                   
                                                            Cut  1 strip of 4” WOF  - subcut into 2 strips 4” x 22”

                                                            Cut  4 strips  of 1” WOF    
                                   
Cut Flame fabric:                 Cut 9 pieces of 2” x 2”






Construction:

Place the “candles” on a table/design wall in the order you like.  Place the 3” background piece at the bottom of the candle and the 2” back ground piece at the top.  (Picture 1 & 2)


Picture 1

Stitch the three pieces together to begin creating candle sections. 
Press.
                       
Place flame fabric at top of candle piece (Picture 1&2).   Stitch to the candle and press.

Picture 2

Arrange the candles in a final design you like.  You may stagger the candle if you like or keep them all the same.  The bottom edges will vary, but not for long! 

*If you rearranged your candles, you will now trim all the candles at the bottom using the        shortest one as the common length to cut. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of background        fabric on each candle at the bottom.

            Take a straight edge rule and cut across all the candle bottoms. *

Place a 2” wide background fabric piece and place it at the top of the candle flame.  Add enough length to complete the candle strip to a 19” height.  Stitch to complete candle column.  Press.  Repeat for each candle section. (Picture 3)

   

Picture 3

Repeat for all candles.  (Don’t worry about the tops – you will trim soon!)


Adding the Background:

Cut 1” background strips into lengths for the spaces between your candles. The hanukkah design will have 8 strips.

Stitch these spacer strips to the right side of all candles except the last candle on the right.
**Begin sewing at the bottom. (Picture 4)

You will now have “double columns”. Leaving the farthest right candle alone. This candle will anchor the group at the end.

Picture 4

Press toward the spacer. (Picture 4) 


Stitch the double columns together beginning at the bottom where they have been trimmed, adding the last remaining single candle to the right edge.  Press. (Picture 5)

Picture 5

Stitch each 4” x 22” fabric pieces to the left and right sides. Press. (Picture 5)

You might notice some “wonkiness” – this is good! 

Trim top even.




Add batting behind the completed top.  Place the batting on top of the wrong side of the backing fabric.  “Quilt as desired”.  Bind and don’t forget to add fabric on the back corners or tabs for hanging”!!

OPTION:

            "Improv" this project:

             These measurements do not need to be exact. A little variation will make your design more                      improvisational!

             Embellish with beads, ribbons, bows, funky stitches…Have fun!!

 Original design 11/2015   

(Thanks for your patience with this site.  A new webpage is in construction for 2017!)         

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AVAILABLE!!           

The Mira Mira Bag (tm) and the Mira Mira Zippy Pouch  (tm)  which are featured in Windham Fabric's Look Book for Carrie Bloomston's Dreamer Fabric are now BOTH available  on the fabrications2B etsy site.  Fabulous intro prices!  Easy downloads~









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